An inductor is a passive electrical component that is used in integrated circuits for many different types of applications. These applications can include, for example, communication systems, radar systems, television systems, highpass filters and tank circuits. Inductors can be miniaturized for use in compact communication systems, such as cell phones and modems, by fabricating spiral inductors on the same substrate as the integrated circuit to which they are coupled using integrated circuit manufacturing techniques. However, spiral inductors are difficult to manufacture and add significant expense to the fabrication process. This is due to the many different manufacturing steps required to build the inductor.
Traditionally, fabricating high-Q value inductor remains an expensive process and a significant challenge to many integrated circuit (IC) manufacturers. For example, to fabricate a high-Q inductor, it is currently necessary to have a thick metal wiring level such as Cu or Al and its associated via levels dedicated specifically for high-Q inductor formation. To further enhance the quality factor of inductors, sometimes two thick metal wires are dedicated to such inductor formation. Therefore, there remains a need for high quality factor inductor formation with an inexpensive method.
Accordingly, there exists a need in the art to overcome the deficiencies and limitations described hereinabove.